The harsh summer heat can play havoc with your skin by robbing it of its moisture and sheen and leaving you with a dull-looking, tanned appearance. Not just this, it can also give you age spots, fine lines and wrinkles. It is essential to keep your skin hydrated at all times to prevent these from happening. Apart from moisturising your skin, you can make hydrating face masks at home using natural ingredients such as mango, multani mitti, lemon juice, etc. Priti Mehta, founder and director, Omved, suggests a few DIY hydrating face masks.
Mask 1:
Mango and chia hydrating mask: Suitable for all skin types, the summer mask revitalises and rejuvenates by balancing and moisturising your skin.
Ingredients:
- Two tablespoons of mango pulp
- One teaspoon of chia seeds
- One teaspoon of aloe vera gel
Directions:
- Blend or mash half a mango until smooth and creamy. Do not mash the mango with peels.
- Soak the chia seeds in one tablespoon of cool water. Mix with a whisk and let it stand for a few minutes. Whisk again, and let stand for 10 minutes. Whisk the mixture again and let it sit in the refrigerator for 15 minutes or till they expand into a gel.
- Scrape the gel fresh from the inside of aloe vera leaves.
- Combine all the ingredients in a clean and dry mixing bowl and you can add or decrease the chia seeds gel according to the consistency you want for the mask.
- Apply it on your face and leave on for about 15 minutes.
Use a warm and moist washcloth to remove the mask gently. Follow up with a splash of cool water on the face to rinse completely and pat dry with a soft towel.
Mask 2:
Sabudana and lime exfoliating face mask: The thick and gentle exfoliating mask made with sabudana will do wonders to your skin leaving it clean, smooth and soft! Good for all skin types, it works best for sensitive and oily skin.
Ingredients:
- One tablespoon of small sabudana
- Three tablespoons of lime juice
- One tablespoon of brown sugar
- One teaspoon of Fuller’s earth (Multani mitti)
Directions:
- Add sabudana and lime juice in a pan and let it thicken over low fire, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from the heat and let it cool.
- Add sugar, Multani mitti and the cooled ingredients in a dry bowl and mix well.
- Gently massage scrub on your face while avoiding eye area.
- Let the scrub stay on the face for 10 to 15 minutes.
Use a warm and moist washcloth to remove the mask gently. Follow up with a splash of cool water on the face to rinse completely and pat dry with a soft towel. Follow up with a moisturiser.
Mask 3:
Khus Cocoa glow mask: It is effective in nourishing your skin and reversing sun damage.
Ingredients:
- Two tablespoons of khuskhus
- Two tablespoons of cocoa powder
- Three tablespoons of raw milk
- Three tablespoons of oatmeal powder
- Half teaspoon of mint powder or two drops of mint essential oil
Directions:
- Soak the khuskhus in raw milk overnight.
- Next morning grind it to a paste.
- If you don’t have oatmeal powder, simply blend some oats in a processor.
- Mix all ingredients and apply the paste on the face and neck, avoiding the eye area.
- Massage in the upward direction for a few minutes. Place some cucumber slices on the eyes.
- Let the scrub stay on the face for 10 to 15 minutes.
Use a warm and moist washcloth to remove the mask gently. Follow up with a splash of cool water on the face to rinse completely and pat dry with a soft towel. Follow up with a moisturiser.
Source: the health site